Votometer.



No- 830,879. PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

G. B. CAMPBELL.

VOTOMETE APPLICATION FILED :m 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

. No. 830,879. PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

G. B. CAMPBELL.

VOTOMETER.

urmouxox rum) JULY 19 1905.

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VOTOMETER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 11, 1906.

Application filed July 19, 1906. Serial bio. 270.414.

To n/ZZ whom it "LII/,7] concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Votometers, of. which the following is a'specification.

The invention relates to an indicator-votometer designed for use to indicate the indi-' votometer maybe suitably and accurately push-button holder.

actuated from the desk of the individual.

Another object of the invention is to provide the structure'with distinguishin characteristics whereby the voter may be informed by inspection as to the character of his vote, whereby to guard against inaccuracies possibly incident to a shunting or diverting of the energizing-current.

The invention in. its preferred details of structure will first be described in thefollowing specification, reference being had particularlyto the accompanying drawings, where- Figure 1 is a plan illustrating the relative situation of the individual desks and the votometer. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan of the Fig. 8 is an enlarged front elevation of the votometer proper. Fig. 4 is a broken transverse section of the same. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective illustrating the arrangement of the drop-shutters and the -means for mechanically restoring them to normal or inoperative position. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the preferred form of electric circuit for operating the v0- tometer. Fig. 7 is a similar'vicw showing a modified form of circuit.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly Figs. 3, 4, and 5, the votometer proper of my invention com rises a casing 1 of suitable size and preferab y rectangular in section. The face 2 of the casing, which may beef any material desired, is provided with a plurality of rectangularly-arranged openings 3. The face-plate is divided into vertical'columns 4, each column including two vertical columns of'opening s, and bypreference these'columns are suitably identified, as A, B, and C in theinstance'shown, it being understood that as many columns as may be desired are contemplated. .The-face plate'is also divided into transverse horizontal divisions 5, preferably numbered in consecutive order and including but a single transverse row of openings 3. The individuals for whose use the votometer is designed are each assigned in regular order, the openings 3.included within one vertical columnthat is, each member has two horizontally-alined openings, one of which isv devoted to displaying an aifirmative vote and the other to displaying a negative vote.

Resetting-shafts 6 are mounted for pivotal movement in the side walls of the casing 1, extending transversely of the casing and slightly in rear of the openings 3 therein, beiin equal in number to the number of horizonta divisions of the face-plate and supported in a plane slightly above the upper edge ofthe respective ppenings with w ich the particular s aft cooperates. Shutters 7 are loosely mounted on the respective rods 6, each of said shutters preferably including a metallic plate suitably inscribed to indicate a vote. A

shutter is provided for each of the/openings 3 and are arranged in pairs, one indicating an affirmative vote and the other a negative vote. Each member of the voting-body will thereby control a pair of shutters arranged on one of the shafts 6 and so positioned that when lowered to o erative position the face of said shutter wili be exposed through the particular opening 3 of that set of openings provided for the particular member. By preference one of the shutters, or both, as may be desired, are distinctively colored, so that a voter may know from the inspection of the votometer which vote has been registered by observing the color'of the shutter without necessity of approaching sufliciently close to the casing to read the inscription on the shutter.

The shafts 6 are provided with resettinglevers' 8, which depend from said shaft intermediate each respective pair of shutters, and is provided at its lower or free end with a transverse bar 9, designed to project beyond 100 the contiguous edges of and bear against the the particular member are controlled through 10 5 push-buttons 10 and 11, respectively, 'suiti ably mounted in a holder 12, seated in the desk 13 .of the articularmember. Intermediate thepus buttons 10 and 11 is arranged a lamp or other visual signal 14, deno,

signed to. bleenorgiaied upon the operation of either of the push-buttons to indicate to'the member that his vote has been registered.

' By preference the visual signal is designed to 'remain in signaling. condition until the V- nected 'bya wire 16 through a battery 17 to the movable point 18 of the ush button 10,

the fixed point of this button v eing connected by a wire 19 with the fixed point 20 of the button 1]..- The movable point 2-1 of the button 11v isconnected by a Wire 22 through a battery 23 to a coil 24, similar in. all respects to the coil 15. The coils 15 and 24 are arranged immediately in rear of shaft 6 within the casingand are each designed to actuate a pivot-latch 25, supported within the casing and so arranged that when the latch is in nor- .mal position shoulder or offset 26- thereon near the upper end will support the respective shutter and hold thes'ame elevated or in normal position. The upper end of the latch adjacent the coil 15 1s providedwith anarmature 27, connected directly through a wire 28 with the lamp-14, the remaining lampterminal 29 terminating in a contact-point 30 in a position to be engaged b'y'themetallic shutter 7 when the same has been dropped to lowered or voting position, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6. The negative shutter 7 is also arranged to close the lamp-circuit when in operative position through contact with a fixed point 31, over which a wire 32 leads to and is electrically connected Withthe wire 28'. The aflirmative shutter is connected by a wire 33with'the wire 28, leading to the lamp. The latch- 25, arranged for cooperation with 'the negative shutter, is pro vided .with an armature '34, connected through the medium of a'wire 35, which leads to and is electrically connected with the lam terminal 29,- as shown.

T e negative shutter is connected by a wire 36- with' the wiree35, and both the latches v25 are held in normalposition and returned thereto after operation by coil-springs 37', suitably mounted,,as shown.

It is. to be understood that the circuits just described. are duplicated between each respective pair of shutters and the desk of the member to whom said shutters have been assigned,.so that said members mayindividually and accurately controlvthe afiirmative and negative shutters, and thereby properly indicate his desire in. the matter 0 voting. As a medium for resetting the. shutters each of .theiahafts 6 is provided with an arm 38, projectingtherefrom-near one end, the lower position.

or free end of said arm being longitudinally slotted at 39 "to receive pins 4 0,' projecting laterally from a vertically-reciprocating resetting-bar 41. The lower end. of the bar projects through the bottom end of the easing, from whereit may be-suitably operated to reset all the shutters which ave been .voted, the resetting operation being-simultaneous for all shutters voted without efiecting those remaining innormal or inoperative In operation, assuming the memberdesires to vote an 'afiirmative on' the questionsissued, he depresses the push-button 10, thereby energizing the coil 15, attracting the armature 27 and Withdrawing the latch 25 from beneath his affirmative shutter, permitting the same-tojdrop to exposed position in rear of the articular opening 3. By contact of the s utter with the point 30 the lamp-circuit is energized from a suitable source of sup ly, as a battery 42, through the j lamp-wire, t rough wire 28, wire 33, the

shutter,'point 30, and wire 29 to the batte The indicative shutter is operated in exact y the same way, the'light-circuit being maintained upon the drop of the shutter to the ob vious circuit It will thus be noted that the shutter-circuit is energized to withdraw the latchand that said latchpermanently closes the lamp-circuit, so that said lamp remains burning as long to the voted shutter is in ex-..

posed position. On elevating the resettingrod the resetting-levers 8 are turned. upwardly, carrying with them the shutter formally in operative positionand causin thefreeedge of the shutterto ride'over an engage the shutter 26 on the respective latch. This operation breaks the lamp-circuit and v the lamp is extinguished.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a form of circuit in -which the lamp will flash upon a depression of the button and be extinguished as soon as pressure from the button is'released.. This circuit for both shutters is identical, the lampleads 42 43 extending to and being connected to the latches 44, which latches carry arma-z tures 46 .to be attracted on the energizing of coils 46 through pressure upon the buttons 10 or 11, connected by a wire 47 to a battery 48 and through a Wire 49 to one of the lampleads.

the disconnection thereof. This latter circuit. is a simple one and will'maintainthe Having thus described the invention, :what

I claim as new is' In this construction the lamp is en-. ergized aslong as the armature contacts with' thecore of the coil,.bein'g extinguished upon- 1. A votometer comprising a casing, shutters arranged in pairs therein, a circuit ineluding means for supportlng each of. the

' shutters in inoperative positions, means for z closing the circuit to actuate said supporting means, and a signal common. to and energize in closing either oi said circuits.

2. A votome'L-er comprising a casing, shuti ters arranged in pairs therein, a circuit including means for supporting each of the shutters in inoperative position, means for closing the circuit to actuate the shutter-supporting means, and a signal common to and energized upon the closing of either of said circuits, said signal remaining energized while the signal is in operative position.

3. A votometer comprising a casing, a plurality of shutters arranged in pairs mounted within the casingQa circuit including means for normally ative position, means to close said circuit to energize the shutter-holding means and release the shutter, means for engaging each pair of shutters, and means for simultane ously operating all of said engaging means to reset all shutters in operative position within the casing.

4. A votometer comprising a casing,

mounted within the casing, a normally open circuit for each shutter of each pair, said circuit including means for holding the shutter in inoperative position, independent means for closing each of said circuits to release its shutter, and a single lamp-circuit energized upon the operationof either circuit-closing means. 1 v

. 5. A votometcr comprisin rality of shutters arrange mounted within the casing, a normally open circuit for each shutter of each pair, each of said circuits including means for holding the particular shutter in inoperative position, in-

a casing, a plu-' in pairs and holding said. shutters in inoper-- aplurality of shutters arranged in pairs and dependent meansfor closin each of said circuits to release the particu ar shutter, and a single normally open lamp-circuit, said lampcircuit being closed by the shutter when in operative position. i

7. A votometer com rising a casin a. pair of shutters mounted't erein, normal y open circuits, each including means for holding one of the shutters 1n inoperative position,

a normally openholding the shut-- and a single means for simultaneously moving each individual pair of shutters from operative position to a position within the influence of the holding means.

1 8. A votometer com rising a casin a pair of shutters mounted t erein, norma y o n circuits eachincludmg a means for hol ing one of the shutters 1n inoperative position, a

normally open lamp-circuit, either of said the lamp-circuit shutters serving to close when in inoperative position, and-means vfor moving either of said shutters from operative.

position into engagement with the holding means, said means lamp-circuit.

In testimony in presence of thereby breaking the.

whereof'I aflix my signature two witnesses. I GEORGE E. CAMPBELL.

Witnesses: I

SARA E. CAMPBELL, ELIZABETH A. CAMPBELL. 

